wanderlost
by lala-licious
Summary: when life gives you lemons, you make lemonades; when life gets too stifling, you go on a holiday. too bad not everyone thinks that way. ino, shika
1. Chapter 1

Naruto (c) Kishimoto Masashi

* * *

Blond-haired, blue-eyed –

– airhead.

No one will wonder; they _won't_ –

– why would _they_ bother, anyway?

So she packed her bags –

_see the hot pink luggage, with the diamond motif?_

– and vanished.

_One less airheaded, blue-eyed blond._

* * *

**wanderl-o-st**

* * *

chapter 1/5

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there's a world out there that we should see  
~rocketeer, far east movement

* * *

Ino never knew travelling the road was hard. There was the coordination, there was the focus, and there was the patience.

God knows she broke all the rules for being a blond.

Just by driving, nonetheless.

Red and blue flashes; blinding. Sirens wail; ear-piercing.

– and then there was the police; as annoying and persistent as flies in the summer.

Ino huffed. The idea of braking in the middle of the road was tempting. So she wonders why she _didn't_.

The policeman – oops, _woman _ – neared. The flapping-chicken reflex jumps her pulse, labours her breathing and opens her blue-eyes wide; _shit-a-woman-shit-shit-shit!-Ican'tdealwiththem-f–!_

A step, two. She took a deep breath and slipped on her shades.

"Please take off your shades so we can identify you."

– dumbest action _ever_.

"But I'm disfigured!"

Her voice sounded strangled and high-pitched, slotting well with the hastily constructed lie; and she pats herself for being such a convincing actress.

"No, miss, please remove your shades so we can identify you with your ID."

Her interrogator sounds like a male, but looks like a female – _gender crisis?_

"Miss!"

Now her interrogator look annoyed. No doubt about it; his – her? – body language told her as much.

"I'm sorry," she twitters breezily, "but you look so – I mean, your hair is so silky and straight!" As a precautionary measure, she asks, "Mind if I _touch_?"

Blond 1, Officer 0.

"I-I am a guy!"

_Oh._

The red subsides from his face – Ino speculates if that was anger, embarrassment or both. Her interrogator sighs. While he mumbles away into his two-way radio, Ino hopes she'll be released.

She _has_ been sufficiently annoying for a stereotypical blond.

Her stomach plummeted when striking white eyes turned; her own spotting familiar spiky hair.

Enter her chicken-flapping reflex as she considers turning tail and _run_.

How did she _not_ know that Shika was working in law enforcement?

Another shadow passes over her, blocking the afternoon sun.

"Ino. Go home."

"Okay."

But really, she isn't – and Shika knows, if his exasperated hair ruffling habit still holds true.

"Your dad – "

She scowled, "I said I get it!"

Huffily, she starts up her car (violently enough to remind herself that her car is her _baby_, and the one that should feel her anger is anyone but her _baby_.), kicking up dust at the law enforcers with a devil-may-care attitude.

She wasn't speeding. They singled her out just because –

– she was running away.

* * *

A/N:

(i) don't mean in any way, shape, or form harm blonds here; but i'll apologise for the hurtful stereotypes society impose upon you

(ii) i'm giving up on my studies; fanfiction is a guilt-free distraction for my pathetic-ness (yes, i'm still pessimistic and gloomy and all that)

(iii) fanfiction convinces me to watch anime, and anime convinces me to read manga - such a skewered process


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto (c) Kishimoto Masashi

* * *

Everywhere she went –

– blue-eyes noticed.

Whichever radio channel she listens –

– ears peaked.

Though she has cut off any contact –

_see the phone carelessly tossed onto the backseat?_

– to _them_, she isn't really 'gone'.

_Damn keeping in touch with the news._

* * *

**wanderl-o-st**

* * *

chapter 2/5

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* * *

She ponders why _this_ has happened.

The radio was great; for informing – _warning_ – Ino that she is now deemed 'missing'. She still feels gratitude for the radio host with the sweet voice.

She shifted her position on the none-too-spacious backseat, twisting her bottle cap tightly closed while doing so.

Sweat and leather don't go too well, judging by the protesting noises her leather seat is making. Inwardly, Ino apologises to her baby – it can't be helped, she _can't_ stay in a hotel.

Twisting once more, she sighs.

_Let there be rain_.

As if her wishes were granted, or a shooting-star has appeared –

Just like the clouds  
my eyes will do the same  
if you walk away  
Everyday, it will rain, rain, rain  
~it will rain, bruno mars

– the blond smiled.

_This one is sensible._

"Hey, Ino?"

Abruptly, blue eyes swung open.

"This one is dedicated to you."

"I know it's sweltering hot, and you're probably – well, never mind."

"I can't _make_ it rain, but I hope..."

"I hope this cheers you up."

Tears sting; threatening to overflow and spill onto pale cheeks, forcing her to sit up.

_That's not fair!_ – Ino imagines herself whining to her lazy childhood friend.

But she isn't there, and he isn't here, and they aren't face-to-face.

The temper tantrum will just take place in her head, then.

She wore her silly, lopsided smile.

Exiting the (very) cramped confines of her car –

– awe.

The summer night skies were simply dazzling.

Maybe she had made a wish upon a shooting-star, given the amount.

Blue-eyes closed –

– feeling a little of the weight ease.

It doesn't feel bad at all –

_everything feels_

– so much better.

_This spur-of-the-moment trip isn't so bad after all_.

* * *

A/N:

(i) thanks so much to **Pop'n'Lock7** for reviewing; I have this visual of throwing confetti and all that when you reviewed - _that_'s how elated I was

(ii) to answer your question, that was neji (silky long hair, gender crisis, look like female but sound like male, unusual white eyes) &&& my writing style? stems from obligatory laziness

(iii) guess who the radio host is?


End file.
